Permian Prime Suspects

By Susan K. Lewis

Posted 11.01.06

NOVA scienceNOW

What triggered the Permian extinction roughly 250 million years ago? Was it an asteroid or comet impact, volcanism or glaciation, a great build-up of methane gas, or something else entirely? Examine the theories, then vote for one of the prime suspects.

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Major funding for NOVA is provided by the David H. Koch Fund for Science, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.